13.8 billion years ago, all matter in our universe burst into existence when a cosmic singularity exploded, an event we call the Big Bang. Over time, gravity caused the random material to clump together, creating order out of the primordial chaos. 9.2 billion years later, our sun began to shine for the first time, and our solar system witnessed the first sunrise.
But Earth as we know it did not exist yet. It took another 5.7 billion years for conditions to improve enough for life to exist. Of course, these first lifeforms were simple single celled organisms, but after another billion years, life was more complex and varied, as multicellular organisms had emerged.
Another major change began roughly 85 million years ago, when a group of mammals began following a new evolutionary path. Within 30 million years, the first primates had appeared, with their descendants eventually paving the way for the first hominins, homo habilis, who walked the Earth some 2.8 million years ago.
Modern humans, or homo sapiens as we are properly known, have only existed for some 500,000 years (give or take). Yet, our recorded history only covers some 6,000 years (~4,000 BC to 2024 AD). For all that we've accomplished, it has only been the tiniest blip in the universe's long history.
And here you are.
Spending some of your fleeting time on Earth.
Reading text on some random page on the internet.
CONGRATULATIONS.
But Earth as we know it did not exist yet. It took another 5.7 billion years for conditions to improve enough for life to exist. Of course, these first lifeforms were simple single celled organisms, but after another billion years, life was more complex and varied, as multicellular organisms had emerged.
Another major change began roughly 85 million years ago, when a group of mammals began following a new evolutionary path. Within 30 million years, the first primates had appeared, with their descendants eventually paving the way for the first hominins, homo habilis, who walked the Earth some 2.8 million years ago.
Modern humans, or homo sapiens as we are properly known, have only existed for some 500,000 years (give or take). Yet, our recorded history only covers some 6,000 years (~4,000 BC to 2024 AD). For all that we've accomplished, it has only been the tiniest blip in the universe's long history.
And here you are.
Spending some of your fleeting time on Earth.
Reading text on some random page on the internet.
CONGRATULATIONS.
